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Get Back To The Table

Get Our Nutritionist's Tips for Celebrating National Family Meals Month

Sep 19, 2019

By: Catherine Sebastian, RD

 

Hope everyone is back into the swing of things with the school year starting up and fall officially being right around the corner!  September always signifies a renew and back to routine for most families.  A new school year, a new season, new activities and don’t forget, more foods and recipes to try!  Getting back to routine can always help families come together to continue old traditions or even start new ones. 

September is National Family Meals Month! This is the perfect time to start having more family meals together, and if you and your family already do so, continue that tradition.  Families at times can often be too busy to all sit down together to have a meal– I know life gets in the way, late night work, practice, difference schedules, etc.  However, it is important for families to set aside time to have a family meal together, so they can connect, especially when children are still growing. 

I’ve outlined my top reasons to encourage your kids to partake in family meals aside from building strong family bonds.

  • Wholesome Kids
    • Research shows that having more family meals together with kids can fend off risky behavior.
  • High Grades
    • From elementary to high-school, kids who ate family meals four times or more per week, are found to have better test scores and grades than kids who do not have family meals together

Libby’s® Canned Fruit and Vegetables minimizes prep time in the kitchen by having all the fruits and vegetables prepped, sliced, diced and ready to go. It is easy to add to any recipe and keep on hand in the pantry for a quick reach especially during a busy school year.

Family meals do not have to be fancy or occur only when there is a special occasion. It is important to fit family meals into your lives, where you can relax, be yourselves and enjoy the food you love as a family. For more information on how to have more family meals together, check out this Family Meals 101 guide!

Below are some of my favorite family meals from Libby’s® that you can try for your next family meal!

 

gluten-free-corn-zucchini-pie

Gluten Free Corn and Zucchini Pie

made with Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn

Tip: This gluten free recipe is great for those in your family that might have Celiac or a sensitivity to gluten and it even tastes great!

Make this recipe

easy-vegetable-beef-soup

Easy Vegetable Beef Soup made with Libby’s® Mixed Vegetables

Tip: This can be a completely vegetarian dish by omitting the beef and using vegetable stock instead of chicken!

Make this recipe

pea-pesto-salmon

Pea Pesto Salmon made with Libby’s® Sweet Peas

Tip: Salmon is high in omega-3 which can help with brain function and development.

Make this recipe

 

 

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, check out Libby’s® Recipe Box and Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.